Hi! my full name is Gabrielle Beargeon, but everyone calls me Ellie. I was born in San Diego, California on the big Navy base located there, and than I moved to Rhode Island to live here with my grandmother. I went to Ponaganset High School where I spent the majority of my time in band rehearsal, and traveling to compete. I play bass clarinet, which kind of looks like a black saxophone, and I also play jazz guitar! When I wasn't in the band room, I was taking care of my two half-siblings. They're really cute but they can be a handful! I would have never have gotten where I am without the influence, wisdom, and motivational skills of several really special teachers I had in high school. Because of them, I am studying Secondary Education and Spanish, which is what I want to teach! Additionally, most of my family members have served in the Navy, and they've instilled upon me the value of service, so after I graduate college I plan to do my four years too, hopefully as a cryptologist. I can't wait to travel! However, I want to be a teacher more than anything else, and hopefully along the way, inspire and help a few students as much as my former teachers did for me.
Early Education
I don't have one particular academic memory from elementary or middle school that really influenced and shaped me, but I certainly wouldn't be who I am today without my best friend David - who I met on the very first day of kindergarten! When I got home from school that day, I was sitting outside with my grandmother when he rode by on a tricycle- we lived two houses away from each other! And from that moment on, we spent all our time together. We also realized quickly that we worked well together, or, as well as kindergarteners can 'work'. When we started really learning to read and write, I got the hang of it - whereas David was stuck. He had a lot of trouble with just about everything we were supposed to try and do related to the English language. Luckily, I could help him! But then we started learning basic math: adding and subtracting. And to me it was the most challenging thing ever. To David, he had finally found his niche, and he got really excited learning how the numbers worked, while I was consumed with wanting to learn more about stringing together full sentences. We adored our teachers and we loved school, and learning. Though it was only Kindergarten, we pretty much stayed the same all the way to our high school graduation. Because we loved teaching each other, and eventually becoming tutors in high school, we sort of had a mutual epiphany that we wanted to be teachers, and hopefully emulate some of our favorite things about the teachers we had throughout the years. And now, we're both going to college to major in Secondary Education! Except his double major is math, and mine is Spanish. Without having such supportive teachers in elementary school that fostered a happy, warm environment for us, we might have turned out differently. Instead of thriving on challenge and enjoying to learn, we may have grown to resent our teachers and any work they gave us. It was in elementary school that we first learned the difference a great teacher can make - and also how a bad teacher can affect a student. I think for most kids, in elementary school you're still excited to learn. A challenge is something exciting, sort of like an adventure! Kids just want to soak everything up, and after elementary school, that desire to learn can fade. Looking back on it now, I see how important it is that a child's desire to learn be protected and fueled so they retain it all the way through their education, even through college. Perhaps without having met David, who was just as excited as I was, I would never have had much of a thing for school. If I hadn't had Mrs. Banahan, my Kindergarten teacher, who encouraged students to help each other, I might have never discovered the joy of watching someone light up when something finally clicks in their head. I'm not sure if that was academic enough, but I sure hope it suffices. It seems pretty important to me. The people you meet and befriend can have a huge impact on your life, and who you turn out to be!
High School
In high school the thing that impacted my life most significantly was band, and my conductor, Mr. Coyne. Each year, he selects seven freshman by audition to join the extremely prestigious and competitive wind ensemble. For 52 years consecutively, they've placed first nationally. Somehow, I practiced enough and made it in! I was so proud! However, when we had the first rehearsal, I wasn't so sure I could handle it. Mr. Coyne, the conductor, was incredibly demanding, strict, and didn't put up with anything less than excellence. He gave us a speech then about mediocrity and passion that set the stage for my entire high school career, and probably will stick with me for the rest of my life. As a senior, I finally figured it all out: he was harsh on us because he knew what each and every one of us were capable of, and he knew that we were doing a disservice to ourselves by not reaching our full potential and working as hard as we could. Band was the most incredible experience, I learned to thrive under copious amounts of pressure, I learned to be confident, and I learned not to be afraid to make a mistake, because that's how you grow. Most importantly though, I learned that hard work absolutely does pay off and that passion is necessary to achieve anything great. Over those four years, I spent one hour a day in school, and all my Monday and Wednesday nights at three hour long rehearsals with my bandmates. I got to travel all over the USA, make some really great memories, and of course play some great music. The band room was like my second home and almost all my friends were in band too, and consequently my life basically revolved around it. Mr. Coyne showed me how much more there is to being a great teacher than just teaching the course material. He could really inspire kids, he could get anyone to work harder than they thought they could, simply because he was not someone you wanted to disappoint. His high expectations for us in turn left us having higher standards for ourselves, which is incredibly valuable to a high school student, and something we could apply not only to all of our classes, but to our lives. Teachers like him can make all the difference in a kid's life. I would not even be close to who I am today if I hadn't been in band for those four years. If I turn out to be half the teacher he was, than I'll be thrilled!
Outside Influences
The most significant outside influence on me was my grandmother. My parents were never married or together, and my mom wasn't able to support me alone, so I lived with my grandmother for about eleven years. She supported me entirely and I am grateful to have her in my life. She grew up in very poor circumstances and is a very frugal and practical woman. She believes in hard work and she doesn't know what an excuse is. I remember vividly breaking my ankle in seventh grade, and asking her if she would get something from my room for me, and she reminded me that I had one completely functional leg and so that I had no excuse to be lazy. She made me very self-disciplined, and she instilled on me a belief that any obstacle is able to be conquered. Her tough-love was great, and if I truly needed her to be empathetic, she would always listen to me and be supportive. She believes that the most important two professions are nursing or teaching, and is very excited that I'm going to college to be a teacher. It is very encouraging having her by my side on my career choice. She put herself through college, and I'm doing it myself too, and it makes me feel very accomplished and independent, and I'm glad that my grandmother helped me to grow up to be self sufficient, and strong. Additionally, she is a kind, generous woman, who believes in giving back to the community or the church, and is big on giving donations, and I love that about her, and I hope that when I'm older, I'll have the money to donate as well! She calls me frequently to make sure I'm doing all my work and that I'm happy, and I'm very lucky to have someone like her rooting for me. If it wasn't for her, and how she helped my mother and I out, I might not have been able to go to college at all, and I am so grateful to her, I owe her everything.
Learning in College
In college, of course we all want to be deep learners, but maybe sometimes we all fall prey to being too concerned with a grade. Depending on the class, it might spark your curiosity or encourage you to dig deeper into what you're learning. For example, in my GCH Rivers class, we are always being pushed to truly understand the concepts of watersheds and be passionate about it. I find myself actually caring about advocacy for watersheds and the environment, and I really enjoy figuring out the complicated diagrams of how all these things work. I took it to fulfill my general ed science requirement and so far, ended up really loving the class. Hopefully, as I continue through college I can find ways to enjoy all my classes as much as I enjoy this one. I hope to be a deep learner but also to do well on exams and papers, and finding that balance will be key.
Introduction
Hi! my full name is Gabrielle Beargeon, but everyone calls me Ellie. I was born in San Diego, California on the big Navy base located there, and than I moved to Rhode Island to live here with my grandmother. I went to Ponaganset High School where I spent the majority of my time in band rehearsal, and traveling to compete. I play bass clarinet, which kind of looks like a black saxophone, and I also play jazz guitar! When I wasn't in the band room, I was taking care of my two half-siblings. They're really cute but they can be a handful! I would have never have gotten where I am without the influence, wisdom, and motivational skills of several really special teachers I had in high school. Because of them, I am studying Secondary Education and Spanish, which is what I want to teach! Additionally, most of my family members have served in the Navy, and they've instilled upon me the value of service, so after I graduate college I plan to do my four years too, hopefully as a cryptologist. I can't wait to travel! However, I want to be a teacher more than anything else, and hopefully along the way, inspire and help a few students as much as my former teachers did for me.
Early Education
I don't have one particular academic memory from elementary or middle school that really influenced and shaped me, but I certainly wouldn't be who I am today without my best friend David - who I met on the very first day of kindergarten! When I got home from school that day, I was sitting outside with my grandmother when he rode by on a tricycle- we lived two houses away from each other! And from that moment on, we spent all our time together. We also realized quickly that we worked well together, or, as well as kindergarteners can 'work'. When we started really learning to read and write, I got the hang of it - whereas David was stuck. He had a lot of trouble with just about everything we were supposed to try and do related to the English language. Luckily, I could help him! But then we started learning basic math: adding and subtracting. And to me it was the most challenging thing ever. To David, he had finally found his niche, and he got really excited learning how the numbers worked, while I was consumed with wanting to learn more about stringing together full sentences. We adored our teachers and we loved school, and learning. Though it was only Kindergarten, we pretty much stayed the same all the way to our high school graduation. Because we loved teaching each other, and eventually becoming tutors in high school, we sort of had a mutual epiphany that we wanted to be teachers, and hopefully emulate some of our favorite things about the teachers we had throughout the years. And now, we're both going to college to major in Secondary Education! Except his double major is math, and mine is Spanish. Without having such supportive teachers in elementary school that fostered a happy, warm environment for us, we might have turned out differently. Instead of thriving on challenge and enjoying to learn, we may have grown to resent our teachers and any work they gave us. It was in elementary school that we first learned the difference a great teacher can make - and also how a bad teacher can affect a student. I think for most kids, in elementary school you're still excited to learn. A challenge is something exciting, sort of like an adventure! Kids just want to soak everything up, and after elementary school, that desire to learn can fade. Looking back on it now, I see how important it is that a child's desire to learn be protected and fueled so they retain it all the way through their education, even through college. Perhaps without having met David, who was just as excited as I was, I would never have had much of a thing for school. If I hadn't had Mrs. Banahan, my Kindergarten teacher, who encouraged students to help each other, I might have never discovered the joy of watching someone light up when something finally clicks in their head. I'm not sure if that was academic enough, but I sure hope it suffices. It seems pretty important to me. The people you meet and befriend can have a huge impact on your life, and who you turn out to be!
High School
In high school the thing that impacted my life most significantly was band, and my conductor, Mr. Coyne. Each year, he selects seven freshman by audition to join the extremely prestigious and competitive wind ensemble. For 52 years consecutively, they've placed first nationally. Somehow, I practiced enough and made it in! I was so proud! However, when we had the first rehearsal, I wasn't so sure I could handle it. Mr. Coyne, the conductor, was incredibly demanding, strict, and didn't put up with anything less than excellence. He gave us a speech then about mediocrity and passion that set the stage for my entire high school career, and probably will stick with me for the rest of my life. As a senior, I finally figured it all out: he was harsh on us because he knew what each and every one of us were capable of, and he knew that we were doing a disservice to ourselves by not reaching our full potential and working as hard as we could. Band was the most incredible experience, I learned to thrive under copious amounts of pressure, I learned to be confident, and I learned not to be afraid to make a mistake, because that's how you grow. Most importantly though, I learned that hard work absolutely does pay off and that passion is necessary to achieve anything great. Over those four years, I spent one hour a day in school, and all my Monday and Wednesday nights at three hour long rehearsals with my bandmates. I got to travel all over the USA, make some really great memories, and of course play some great music. The band room was like my second home and almost all my friends were in band too, and consequently my life basically revolved around it. Mr. Coyne showed me how much more there is to being a great teacher than just teaching the course material. He could really inspire kids, he could get anyone to work harder than they thought they could, simply because he was not someone you wanted to disappoint. His high expectations for us in turn left us having higher standards for ourselves, which is incredibly valuable to a high school student, and something we could apply not only to all of our classes, but to our lives. Teachers like him can make all the difference in a kid's life. I would not even be close to who I am today if I hadn't been in band for those four years. If I turn out to be half the teacher he was, than I'll be thrilled!
Outside Influences
The most significant outside influence on me was my grandmother. My parents were never married or together, and my mom wasn't able to support me alone, so I lived with my grandmother for about eleven years. She supported me entirely and I am grateful to have her in my life. She grew up in very poor circumstances and is a very frugal and practical woman. She believes in hard work and she doesn't know what an excuse is. I remember vividly breaking my ankle in seventh grade, and asking her if she would get something from my room for me, and she reminded me that I had one completely functional leg and so that I had no excuse to be lazy. She made me very self-disciplined, and she instilled on me a belief that any obstacle is able to be conquered. Her tough-love was great, and if I truly needed her to be empathetic, she would always listen to me and be supportive. She believes that the most important two professions are nursing or teaching, and is very excited that I'm going to college to be a teacher. It is very encouraging having her by my side on my career choice. She put herself through college, and I'm doing it myself too, and it makes me feel very accomplished and independent, and I'm glad that my grandmother helped me to grow up to be self sufficient, and strong. Additionally, she is a kind, generous woman, who believes in giving back to the community or the church, and is big on giving donations, and I love that about her, and I hope that when I'm older, I'll have the money to donate as well! She calls me frequently to make sure I'm doing all my work and that I'm happy, and I'm very lucky to have someone like her rooting for me. If it wasn't for her, and how she helped my mother and I out, I might not have been able to go to college at all, and I am so grateful to her, I owe her everything.
Learning in College
In college, of course we all want to be deep learners, but maybe sometimes we all fall prey to being too concerned with a grade. Depending on the class, it might spark your curiosity or encourage you to dig deeper into what you're learning. For example, in my GCH Rivers class, we are always being pushed to truly understand the concepts of watersheds and be passionate about it. I find myself actually caring about advocacy for watersheds and the environment, and I really enjoy figuring out the complicated diagrams of how all these things work. I took it to fulfill my general ed science requirement and so far, ended up really loving the class. Hopefully, as I continue through college I can find ways to enjoy all my classes as much as I enjoy this one. I hope to be a deep learner but also to do well on exams and papers, and finding that balance will be key.